Green okra pods together with immature seeds have been utilized for foods for centuries. Yet the food value of the pods is comparatively low, having a protein content of about 1.8%, a fat content of about 0.2%, and a carbohydrate content of 7.4%. Mature okra seed, that is okra seed allowed to mature on the okra plant in the dried pod, has a protein content of about 25-30%, a fat or oil content of about 16-18%, and a carbohydrate content of about 6-9%. Furthermore, mature okra seed production can be mechanically cropped which lends itself to efficient and economical production. While applicant has prepared okra flour from the whole seed and from the deoiled seed, more attractive and usable products can be prepared, if the seed is separated into its main components of oil, germ, kernel material and hulls.
The present invention is directed to separating mature okra seeds into their basic components which will provide for the utilization of a hitherto undeveloped and unexploited foodstuff, that is mature okra seeds and permit production of various food products made from the components of the mature okra seed which are suitable for consumption by humans.
The desired separation of the okra seed is performed by mixing the ground up seed into a liquid medium which has a specific gravity such that the differences in the density of the different seed components causes the components to be separated. Separation of materials by differences in their densities in a liquid is old as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,482,141; 2,579,526; and 2,028,132. However, the separation of okra seed into components suitable for human consumption requires that a liquid medium be used that is not deleterious to the food, one that may be essentially completely removed from the food after separation, and preferably one that is a solvent that has an affinity for the okra oil.